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BTS delivers a speech via prerecorded video at the 75th UN General Assembly on Sept. 23. (YouTube screenshot)

K-pop sensation BTS delivered a speech at the 75th UN General Assembly in video format, returning to the virtual stage after two years. “Let’s live on,” the group said in a message of hope to people around the world suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

BTS delivered their speech on Sept. 23 at a meeting of the UN Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security, held in conjunction with the 75th UN General Assembly. The meeting brought together members of the global community to discuss ways to mitigate the shock of the COVID-19 crisis and to protect future generations.

In their speech on Wednesday, BTS members said, “Life goes on. Let’s live on,” in a video message that was prerecorded given COVID-19 concerns. Mentioning the group’s speech at the UN General Assembly two years ago, BTS leader RM said, “I imagined the limitless possibilities before all of us, and my heart beat with excitement. But COVID-19 was beyond my imagination. Our world tour was totally canceled, all our plans went away, and I became alone. I looked up but couldn’t see the stars at night.”

BTS. (provided by Big Hit Entertainment)

The next member to speak was Jimin. “I felt hopeless. Everything fell apart. [. . .] And then, my friends took my hand.”

Suga talked about how normal life had returned for the group for perhaps the first time since their debut – although not in the way they intended. “The room itself was small, but my world and our world reached far and wide. In this world, we had our instruments, our phones, and our fans,” he said.

BTS members also offered a message of consolation to young people facing lives of uncertainty. “Our lives are unpredictable. We don’t know all the answers,” said J-Hope. “I knew where I wanted to go, but not how I could get there. All I did to get here was [. . .] do my best.”

“In a world of uncertainty, we must cherish the importance of ‘me,’ ‘you,’ and ‘us,’” said Jin.

“We live in uncertainty, but really, nothing’s changed. If there’s something I can do, if our voices can give strength to people, then that’s [. . .] what we’ll keep on doing,” Jungkook said.

“The stars shine brightest when the night is darkest. [. . .] But the night is always darkest before the first light of dawn,” said RM, the only BTS member to deliver his part of the message in English.

“Now more than ever, we must try to remember who we are and face who we are. We must try to love ourselves and imagine the future. BTS will be there with you,” RM added.

The video concluded with all BTS members taking turns saying “Life goes on,” in English, and then saying “Let’s live on” in unison.

BTS became the first Korean music group to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly, held at the UN headquarters in September 2018. During a ceremony launching UNICEF’s “generation unlimited” campaign for youth, BTS conveyed the message “love yourself, speak yourself.”

By Kim Kyung-wook, staff reporter

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